HOOVER, Ala. -- In these troubled times, we need a role model, a leader, a visionary.

We need a statue that isn't the topic of a national debate.

Nick Saban qualifies today, right now. That may change in 20 minutes. We trust and believe at our own risk these days. But let's give him the moment, at least. He's our guy, college football's oracle.

Dictionary.com defines that term as "a person who delivers authoritative, wise or highly regarded, influential."

We all know who used to own that title in amateur athletics. His legacy is ruined. His statue needs student body guards. His name is being dragged through cyberspace, headlines and mud. Saban spoke for half an hour Thursday at the SEC media days and never said the words "Joe Paterno."

Maybe it was an oversight. Maybe it was intentional. But, for now, Saban fills the role vacated by the once-respected coach. Not only because he has won two of the past three national championships or that he is the coaching gold standard.

For the most part, his players haven't embarrassed him. He hasn't embarrassed himself.

His daughter is the stuff of tabloids at the moment, but that has nothing to do with her father. Those vacated wins on Saban's record come from a trumped-up textbook probation. If that bothers you, then you haven't noticed the bar has been lowered significantly for the coaching profession -- and mankind.

Trust and faith are in short supply, measured almost by the day -- along with blood alcohol content. Coaches throw away marriages for helmetless joy rides. The player you adore today could be in jail tomorrow.

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Saban stepping up as new coaching icon when we need one the most

Most retirees face the same conundrum: how to spend down assets without completely depleting them. One popular strategy is to apply the 4% rule -- withdraw 4% of your initial retirement balance and adjust the dollar amount annually to keep pace with inflation. Another rule of thumb is to spend only your portfolio's interest and dividends.

[More from Kiplinger: Quiz: Are You Saving Enough for Retirement?]

Some academics aren't fans of either strategy. A retiree who spends only his interest and dividends may load up on, say, bank stocks -- and that's "the tail wagging the dog," says Anthony Webb, research economist at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Leaving the principal untouched may fit with a desire to leave money to heirs, but it could put a crimp in your lifestyle.

As for the popular 4% rule, it doesn't respond to actual investment returns, Webb says. Retirees drawing fixed dollar amounts from a sinking portfolio will soon run into trouble.

The RMD strategy. A third option may work better for many retirees: Base annual spending on the required minimum distribution rules that apply to traditional IRAs after you turn 70 1/2. Retirees of any age can use RMD calculations as a spending guidepost by simply dividing their total year-end portfolio balance by the life-expectancy factor listed for their age in IRS Publication 590.

[More from Kiplinger: 10 Things You Must Know About Social Security]

In a recent study, Webb and coauthor Wei Sun, of China's Renmin University, found that the RMD strategy outperformed the spend-the-interest strategy and the 4% rule, given a typical retiree's asset allocation. Because the RMD approach calculates the annual withdrawal as a percentage of the remaining portfolio, it is calibrated to investment returns. And the withdrawal percentage increases with age.

The strategy isn't perfect. It may result in withdrawal rates that are too low, particularly early in retirement, causing retirees to leave behind money that they might have preferred to spend. But if we're entering an extended period of low returns, as many advisers predict, you may want to err on the side of conservative spending rates.

[More from Kiplinger: State-by-State Guide to Taxes on Retirees]

A hybrid approach. Although no simple rule is ideal, retirees may incorporate an RMD-inspired strategy into a broader plan for covering expenses. A 2010 Vanguard Group paper, for example, found benefits from combining an inflation-adjusted immediate annuity with an RMD approach. This strategy produced stable cash flows that grew at a faster rate than those produced by other rules of thumb.

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Don't Run Out of Money in Retirement

Eastern Washington University Learning Commons

Q: What is a Learning Commons?

A: EWU defines its Learning Commons in the following way: A learning commons is a blended learning space that supports the entire student learning experience, including technology needs, collaborative learning needs and personal development. Cross-disciplinary and cross-curricular connections among university academic services and students help create knowledge communities to enhance student learning through integrative processes that allow for skill building, authentic practice and reflection. The learning commons combines traditional library research services with writing help, peer programs, computing and technology support, individual and group study, and other services to support the processes of inquiry, analysis, understanding, synthesis and the creation of knowledge.

Q: Is the Learning Commons mission in keeping with the universitys?

A: Yes, the Learning Commons mission is tied closely to that of the larger EWU mission. The Learning Commons Mission is to: Provide a collaborative intellectual setting that inspires excellence in learning.

Q: Where will the Learning Commons be situated?

A: The Learning Commons will be mostly on the main level of the John F. Kennedy Library and directly accessible from both entrances. Through the front entrance of JFK, head to the right of the Reference Desk for entry into the Learning Commons. At a later phase (estimated fall, 2013), Thirsty Minds is proposed to move to a permanent location adjacent to the Learning Commons, with an expanded selection of food and beverages.

Q: What services will be provided in the Learning Commons?

A: In the fall quarter the Learning Commons will house the Multi-Media Lab, formally the MARS lab. It will also house the Writers Center and PLUS group tutorial services. In successive quarters we will see other services provided on a part-time basis in the Learning Commons.

Q. When will the Learning Commons be open?

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Learning Commons -Frequently Asked Questions

By Melissa Korn

Online education is touted as a convenient option for busy students, but e-learners may actually care more about cost than about schedule.

According to a new study by the education practice at The Parthenon Group, a consulting firm, tuition cost ranks higher among factors that prospective online students weigh than do convenience, quality of education or even the ability to find a job after graduation.

The survey included more than 1,500 prospective students with family income below $80,000 and was commissioned by Penn Foster, which operates online high school, college and vocational programs.

Tuition cost rose to the top spot in 2012 from the No. 5 criteria in school selection back in 2007. The main factor for students five years ago was education quality.

It was a little surprising to see [cost] jump to number one, says Chris Ross, a partner at Parthenon. The student decision-making process is shifting.

With price tags ballooning, jobs hard to come by, schools cutting back on grants and scholarships and families increasingly worried about saddling graduates with long-lasting debt, its no surprise that cost is top of mind.

And while the general public remains uncertain about online courses, as this Pew Research Center report from last summer shows, institutions of higher education are plowing head-first into e-courses. (On Tuesday, another 12 top universities announced they would pile onto the free education bandwagon.)

Still, as online education becomes more mainstream, schools are finding they need to differentiate themselves on something other than flexibility of schedule and convenience, Ross says. Accreditation no longer makes programs stand out from the crowd, nor does a schools non-profit or for-profit status. A separate Parthenon study, not yet published, found that up to one-third of students at private-sector (for-profit) schools had considered attending a non-profit institution as well. The decision set is widening, so other factors come into play, Ross says.

(This infographic from the Sloan Consortium, a group of schools, companies and other organizations involved in online learning, gives an overview of online education today. Of note: nearly one-third of total enrollment came from online courses in fall 2010, and nearly one-third of chief academic officers believe its at least somewhat inferior to face-to-face teaching.)

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Cost Tops Quality for Students Seeking Web Courses

LEAWOOD, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

ATI Nursing Education, the leading provider of online nurse education programs, today announced the award of its ATI Nursing Education Nurses Touch Product Grant to Des Moines Area Community Colleges practical nurse program and The University of North Carolina at Pembrokes registered nurse program.

The Nurses Touch product line, which will launch nationwide in fall 2012, is the industrys first online education program focusing exclusively on developing professional and interpersonal skills in nurses thus meeting a growing industry need. The product grant provides for the two nursing programs to use Nurses Touch for one class of students for one year.

The Des Moines Area Community College and University of North Carolina at Pembroke programs were selected from more than 120 grant applications. Using stringent criteria, ATI Nursing Education selected the schools based on how Nurses Touch will be used to enhance the educational experience and performance outcomes of nursing students.

Given the nursing roles of advocate, communicator, teacher, caregiver, and manager, the soft skills of nursing are increasingly important to the educational process, said Margaret Cooper, RN, MSN, Nurse Educator with the Des Moines Area Community College program. We are very excited to be able to offer our students access to the Nurses Touch product to strengthen those skills.

It is imperative that students understand that nursing entails more than the ability to perform pure technical skills, said Dena Evans, EdD, MPH, BSN, RN, CNE, associate professor and coordinator of the Learning Enhancement Center of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke program. Unfortunately, in many schools of nursing, a focus primarily on psychomotor skills leads to graduates who are unprepared for the critical and reflective thinking required in todays dynamic healthcare environment. We believe that upon graduation, these students who are exposed to the Nurses Touch content will be better prepared for a constantly evolving and demanding work environment.

Barbara Synowiez, PhD, MSN, RN, chair and professor of the Department of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke agreed that the grant will provide a unique opportunity for the school to enhance the professional and interpersonal skills of its nursing graduates.

We are pleased to be a recipient of this grant and look forward to working with ATI Nursing Education during the next year, said Dr. Synowiez.

The Nurses Touch product line focuses on five key content areas including professional communication, wellness and self-care, becoming a professional nurse, nursing informatics and technology, and leadership and management all areas which will help foster interpersonal skills on the job. Like all ATI Nursing Education programs, Nurses Touch uses the latest and most effective learning tools such as interactive simulators, tutorials, case studies, and practice and proctored assessments.

Nurses Touch also allows educators to assess and track students progress. In addition to student growth, this reporting information can be an accreditation documentation resource.

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ATI Nursing Education Awards Grants that Provide Industry-first, Online Professional and Interpersonal Skills ...

SCRANTON, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Penn Foster, Inc., a global leader in online education, today announced findings from a recent research study conducted by The Parthenon Group on behalf of Penn Foster that looked at the market trends and drivers in the online education category. The report found that the cost of tuition was the most important factor in school selection, moving from the fifth most important factor in 2007 to the top factor in 2012. The study also revealed that potential students believe in the value of education, but doubt their likelihood to receive pay-back on their investment in the short-term.

Our research validated what we had been observing prospective students are more and more price sensitive, said Frank Britt, CEO of Penn Foster. The prospect of having student loans and building debt is a big challenge for students today which is why we continue to focus on debt-free, pay as you go programs that make education accessible to those with less financial means.

RECESSION

The recession of 2008 is still taking its toll on our nation and is a big reason why prospective students have not enrolled in a secondary education program. They have concerns about going into debt and the weight of carrying student loans. Key findings around the topic include:

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING A SCHOOL

The research tracked trends in education over the last five years. In 2007, participants were asked to select the most important criteria when choosing an online school, with the same study repeated in 2012. The findings show that students have become increasingly sensitive to price, taking the top spot in 2012, up from fifth in 2007. Convenience and interaction with teachers also were ranked higher in 2012 than in 2007.

The cost of tuition shot up as the biggest consideration when selecting a school, indicating that concerns over potentially accruing debt is top of mind for many students, said Chris Ross, a partner at The Parthenon Group and a member of the firms Education Practice.

COMPARISON SHOPPING

Penn Foster also set out to understand the number of schools potential students research during their decision making-process. The biggest key finding includes:

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Penn Foster School Releases Findings Around Student Attitudes Toward Education

Credit: Rusty Ray/News 13

75-year-old Sylvia Lindsay leads her water aerobics class in the pool at the Grande Dunes Ocean Club on Thursday morning. The former physical education teacher says exercise has always been a part of her life, and she credits constant activity to helping her feel and look young.

MYRTLE BEACH - Sylvia Lindsay carries around bags full of water toys--including barbells and water noodles--in her car wherever she goes. She isn't entertaining grandchildren, though. The 75-year-old is busy as a water aerobics instructor at several different places around the Grand Strand several days a week.

"It's not just little old ladies splashing water," said Lindsay. "It's a good, heavy work-out."

On Tuesdays and Thursdays she teaches at the Grande Dunes Ocean Club in Myrtle Beach, where Lindsay and her students usually have the resort-style pool to themselves.

"Everybody can find a pool someplace," Lindsay said. "Or, if they have to, they can go down and get in a creek!'

Lindsay says the buoyancy creates drag--but not strain--on the body's movements, and that can equal a greater workout with less strain. That makes water aerobics an attractive fitness option for just about anyone.

"This is good rehab for surgery," said Lindsay. "I do have people in classes that are coming out of cardiac rehab, especially, and they were told to come and get in a water program."

Lindsay, a former physical education teacher, first tried water aerobics 25 years ago. She said she grew up going to her local YMCA, where she enjoyed swimming, archery, and golf, among other activities.

Now, the 75-year-old says she feels young and loves to help others feel better and look better, too.

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Myrtle Beach woman says water workouts are a fountain of youth

Nice to meet you, Joel Hines, new Osbourn boys basketball coach. Youre a 2001 Potomac (Va.) High grad? So you must have played for Kendall Hayes at Potomac then.

No, I didnt, actually.

(Courtesy Old Dominion/ODU Athletics) - Former Old Dominion director of basketball operations Joel Hines is the new boys' basketball coach at Osbourn.

But he was the coach when you were there.

I didnt play at Potomac. I just went there.

Oh.

Hines, 28, takes part in some version of that exchange on a regular basis. He never played a high school sport, let alone basketball, yet last month he took over an Osbourn program his second head coaching job that reached the past two Virginia AAA tournaments.

Hines is not the first coach to go from the bleachers to the bench, but it is a seldom-taken route, one that in his experience seems to demand an explanation. Because inevitably, the conversation will veer to his hoops background, or lack of.

Theres that assumption that at least you played high school basketball, Hines said with a laugh one recent afternoon over lunch at a sandwich shop near his home.

Hiness at times awkward position raises a question: Why should playing a high school sport be an assumed prerequisite for coaching a high school sport?

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Joel Hines takes an unconventional path to an Osbourn coaching job

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75tz4v-29l8

17-07-2012 13:26 Crossroads intern Sarah Martens talked to some of the experts about how we can make small changes a bit at a time to affect our health and lifestyles.

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SMALL STEPS TO CHANGE Summer Health and Fitness Tips --- Sarah Martens - Video

CARRIZO SPRINGS - The Eagle Ford Shale is transforming South Texas, but the oil boom is straining health care, education and social services.

Health care centers are losing administrative staff to oil companies at the same time that some health needs aren't being met. Formerly poor school districts are becoming property rich but struggling to deal with larger, sometimes transient student populations.

Nonprofits like the San Antonio Food Banks are swamped with more requests for help, a group of speakers told members of the Eagle Ford Task Force Wednesday.

Texas Railroad Commissioner David Porter formed the task force last year by to ensure regulators can keep up with developments in the shale.

'A strain on capacity'

Dr. Carlos Moreno, CEO of Vida Y Salud Health Systems in Crystal City, said it may be a challenge for companies to keep a healthy workforce and for families to stay healthy. He said there are more patients now, and "there is a strain on capacity."

Also, he's seeing more patients with serious health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure or who are obese. He said the Eagle Ford region is lacking in parks, playgrounds and ways for people to keep fit, which may account for some of the problems.

His clinics also are seeing a spike in sexually transmitted diseases.

Moreno said the Vida Y Salud clinics already have partnered with some communities to find more ways to promote fitness, such as through 5K runs and play events for children. There is a "desperate need," too, for mental health professionals to treat problems like depression, he said, because "you can't find that at any price."

Monty Small, CEO of Atascosa Health Center in Pleasanton, spoke about how hard it is to attract health care professionals to the region because of a severe housing shortage. His center has a new doctor arriving at its soon-to-open Three Rivers clinic, but there is no place for her to live there, so she'll have to commute from a larger town, Small said.

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Eagle Ford boom strains health care, schools